TBSM On The Sea

I would like to thank twitter for giving me the idea for this blog post. Externships, residency applications and frequent episodes of “future tripping” have made it difficult to reflect back on TBSM this summer. My apologies. Luckily everything changed when I went to Kansas City, Missouri (not to be confused with Kansas City, Kansas) for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) National Conference. At the opening session, conference leaders asked everyone to tweet throughout the weekend so last year’s conference record of 26 million twitter imprints would be surpassed. I felt obliged to do my part, because I was very grateful to be attending the National Conference on a scholarship from the AAFP. While the opening session was still going on, I made a twitter account. Feel free to follow me @ari_crocker.

I started following people on twitter and soon enough I came across the twitter account of the Dalai Lama. After scrolling through the Dalai Lama’s twitter feed, I saw one of my favorite quotes of his: “Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.”

I have read that quote many times and each time I am reminded of something different. But today, I thought of my first TBSM Seafarer’s clinic. To be specific, the very end of the clinic when our Port of Tampa liaison was dropping us TBSMers back at the port entry. He said in reference to the Seafarers working on the cargo ships, “These men don’t mean much to many people, so thank you for coming.” My heart sank. What a heartbreaking, yet unfortunately truthful, thing to say. The men who we cared for are at sea for months at a time. They often to do not get paid until the route is complete so they don’t have money to buy necessities when they stop in ports. Also, many do not have the right visas or paperwork to legally leave the ship while in port. After spending the afternoon on the cargo ships with the seafarers and having the liaison put into words how he felt, I cannot imagine a better fit for a TBSM expansion clinic. For those who haven’t had the chance to go to a Seafarer’s clinic, I highly recommend it. The men we met were so kind, gracious and fun. The small amount we can do for these men might seem trivial to some, but it is not. This clinic might be there only medical care throughout their months at sea, what a honor that we get to be there for them. The once small ripple that is TBSM is spreading farther.

Tips for Seafarer’s Clinic:

• Medical supplies and hygiene are the same as for street runs.

• Blood pressure checks for everyone who comes to the clinic is a nice way to break the ice.

• Many seafarer’s might not have any medical issues but want to talk about life in Tampa, sports teams, music or movies. Make sure to leave time to just hang out. This is a nice break from their routine.

• Bring a government issued ID

• if you have an extra hardhat lying around, bring it!

---

---

---